Pneumatic dredge



Patented Oct. 15,

C. L. RIKER. PNEUMATIG DREDGB.

(No Model.)

Uurrnn STATES PATENT CARROLL L. RIKER, OF ESOPUS, NEINT YORK.

PNEUMATlC DREDGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 413,091, dated October15, 1889.

Application iiled February l, 1.889. Serial No. 298,367. (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, OARROLL L. RIKER, of Esopus, :in the county ofUlster and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Pneumatic Dredges; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full and exact description thereof, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, and

to the letters ot reference marked thereon, making a part of thisspecification.

rlhe object of my invention is to dispense with the need of continuallylifting, swinging, and dumping the dipper of a crane or boom dredge inthe work of excavating therewith and lo provide means for dischargingthe material scooped up from the river-bed without elevating the dipperfor the purpose and without material change in the devices customarilyemployed for moving the dipper into contact with said material.

It consists in the combination, with the scoop-dipper and travelingdipper-handle in a crane or boom dredge of any approved form ofconstruction, of a suction-pump mounted in the hull of the dredge andprovided with a iiexible suction-pipe cou pled to the bottom of thedipper, and in the details of equipment and construction of the severalcoacting parts,

as hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation, partly insection, of my improved pneumatic boom dredge; Fig. 2, a transversesection in line so a: of Fig. l, illustrating the machine iitted withdischargepipes to deposit the material excavated thereby over or upon anembankment on either side; Fig. 3, a side elevation illustrating themachine at work in deep water, and Fig. a a detail illustrating amodification in form of the dipper-tube and dipper.

A represents a dredge of approved construction fitted in the customarymanner with a light boom B, from which "is suspended the travelingdipper handle C. The boom is hinged at its lower end tothe turn-table Dof the usual form, and its outer end is supported and adjusted by chainsor cables extending to the upper end of an A-frame E. This frame ispreferably jointed at its lower end to iron sockets S, bolted to thedeck of the hull.

F F are the spuds which anchor the dredge in position when at work, andwhich are lit ted to be hoisted by steam-power by means of chains andfriction-drums, or by a rack-and- ,pinion gear to be worked by hand.

A steam-engine (not shown in the drawings) `is provided `lor adjustingthe dipper and pulling it into the bank.

As thus 'far described, the dredge and its mechanism are of well-knownform, and my invention may be litted thereto without material changestherein.

The scoop or dipper G is of the usual form and is secured to the handleC in the usual manner. The bottom of the dipper, however, instead ofbeing made in two parts to form a door, is left entirely open and isprovided with an annular flange II, Fig. l, by means ot' which aflexible suction-pipe J may be readily connected thereto, and the areaof its mouth is preferably reduced by means of an upper plate T, (seeFig. 3,) covering a third or more of. its upper portion, the area ot theopening being made to correspond with that of the diameter of the pipe.The pipe .I is adapted for connection at its opposite end to the innersection K (see Fig. 1) ot' a telescopic tube, which is mounted in arecess L, formed longitudinally and centrally under the hull at the bowof the dredge, the outer concentric section M of said tube being linedto the hull l in said recess, so as to be submerged in the water andmade to extend at its inner end into the hull to connect with the bottomof a steam vacuum-pump N, which may be of any approved construction andof suitable dimensions, or with a centrifugal pump as an equivalenttherefor. The inner section K of the telescopic extension-tube isadapted to play freely longitudinally within the outer section M, thefriction between the two being reduced to a minimum by a series ofinterposed concentric friction-rollers fu, a and the joints packed byrings of suitable material.

The suction-valve XV fbr the pump is fitted at the inner end of the tubeM, and consists of a hinged metallic iiap set at an angle and left freeto lift and open inward. This valve extends from side to side ol' thevalvechamber and finds a seat therein at its lower edge only, leavingthe valve-chamber unobstructed by lateral offsets or recesses.

Where a steam vacuum-pump is used, it

may consist simply of a cylindrical chamber N, fitted at its upper endwith a steam-supply pipe P from a suitable steam-generator and withacondensing-pipe from an elevated water-tank or otherwise under pressure.The steam and condensing pipes both open centrally into a defiectingdevice fitted in the top of the chamber, and which consists of a hollowvessel having a solid bottom and perforated sides, but which constitutesno part of the present invention, and need not therefore be herein morefully described. Two discharge-pipes R R may be provided-one on eachside of the pump N-to extend from the bottom thereof at an angle upwardto the level of the deck near to its outer edge. Each discharge-pipe Ris governed by a suitable open-way valve Q, placed near to the pump, andis fitted with check-valves W W similar in form to the suction-valve W.Spars V V are rigged to extend out from the dredge horizontally over thedischarge-pipes R R, and said discharge-pipes may be extended by meansof sections R, adapted to be coupled thereto, so as to reach outtherefrom to such distance as may be required for the delivery of thematerial discharged by the operation of t-he pump, these additionalsections being supported, as required, by suspension-straps dependingfrom the spars V V. v

Instead of using a suction-pipe flexible throughout its entire length, ametallic suction-pipe J may be connected by means of a double oruniversal joint, as shown at O, to the horizontal suction-pipe fixed tothe p u mp, so that the pipe may be readily adjusted both vertically andhorizontally. The end of this metallic suction-pipe may be iitted to anysuitable form of scoop, or be itself beveled at its end, as shown inFig. 4, to operate as a scoop to take hold of the sand and mud to bedrawn up by the action of the pump. It is also made adjustable in lengthby means of a telescopic joint J 2.

In the operation of the machine the dredge is properly anchored by thespuds F F in position to allow the scoop-dipper G or the end of thescoop-pipe J to be carried into and through the bank of mud or sand tobe excavated. The discharge-pipe R, on the side of the machine next tothe river-bank, if the material is to be delivered on shore, or next tothe scow if it is to be carried away, is then properly extended andsupported by the spars V V and the discharge-valve of the pipe on theopposite side of the pump closed. The dipper is then adjusted, by meansof the boom B and the traveling handle C, so as to tion of the steam,the material in front of the dipper lis drawn into it and, through thesuction-pipe J or J, into the pump, to be thence discharged by the nextcharge of steam admitted thereto. The dipperis drawn forwardautomatically as the material in front is drawn into it, and thisforward feed of the dipper is assisted and its direction determined bythe action of the hoisting chains and drums.

It is evident that my invention is applicable to dredges having thedipper and its traveling handle supported, adjusted, and operated in thecustomary way by means of a triangular crane instead of a boom, and Icontemplate its use with a traveling scoop-dipper suspended in anywell-known manner.

Every advantage and every desirable point which characterize theboom-dredges heretofore employed are retained in this invention, whilethe loss of time, the expenditure of power, and the strain required inraising and swinging the dipper each time it is filled, in the oldmachines, are hereby avoided, and superior facilities are provided forthe ready discharge of the material at an y desired point, irrespectiveof the position of the dredge.

I claim as my invention- The combination, with the dredge boat, thescoop-dipper, the traveling handle supporting the same, and means,substantially as described, for supporting, guiding, and moving thehandle, of a suction-pump, an adjustable suction-pipe extending from thepump to the bottom of the dipper, one or more discharge-pipes extendingfrom the pump outwardly, and valves controlling said pipes,substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

C. L. RIKER.

IOO

